A new manager at Walkiah Bluff Water Park has

been making upgrades to dilapidated aspects of the park.

Renovation of the boat ramp, bathroom facilities, parking lot and a new wastewater system have all taken place within the last year.

Though this park is miles away from Picayune, it’s situated perfectly on the Pearl River.

Visiting the park for the first time this week, I could easily see that it was once a gem of the county, but has since fallen into disrepair.

While county leaders are working to organize an economic development organization, it’s also important to pay attention to the amenities this county currently has to offer its residents and visitors.

Parks like Walkiah Bluff could provide a valuable and steady source of revenue to the county, as long as the facilities are kept clean and they are advertised properly.

In my lifetime, I’ve traveled to more campgrounds than I can count, and if there’s one amenity valued above all others, it is a clean bathroom and shower.

Fully renovating and expanding those facilities at Walkiah Bluff might be a costly endeavor, but it’s one that would pay back in dividends if the right security measures are taken.

In the past, the park succumbed to a multitude of vandals, as have many other parks in Pearl River County.

Establishing a security system with surveillance cameras, proper lighting and lock systems could help deter vandals from ruining the work recently completed.

The park is located in an area close enough to the interstate, shopping and outdoor activities like boating or kayaking on the river, that it should be a tourist hub for the county.

Continuing these improvements to the park, and encouraging Pearl River County residents to take advantage of a local vacation spot, will help make the park into the shining star it could be.